The Fall 2014 semester is in the books and the student-athletes are returning from the holiday break in preparation for the Spring 2015 semester. With each WCHL team having played half of their league games and about eight more weeks of games left before Nationals, we figured we should kick out another installment of the WCHL Wraparound!
LEAGUE STANDINGS –Every WCHL team has played eight league games so far this season, with eight more league games to go before the WCHL regular season concludes. The WCHL uses a 3-2-1-0 point system, meaning a win in regulation is worth 3 points, two points are earned for an overtime/shootout win, one point for an overtime/shootout loss and a loss in regulation results in zero points. After eight games, each team could have possibly earned 24 points had they won every game in regulation. With that understanding, here are the current WCHL standings:
T1 – Central Oklahoma (19 pts, 6 regulation wins, 1 overtime loss, 1 regulation loss)
T1 – Arizona State (19 points, 5 regulation wins, 2 overtime/SO wins, 1 regulation loss)
3 – Oklahoma (13 pts, 3 regulation wins, 1 overtime/SO win, 2 regulations losses, 2 overtime/SO losses)
4 – Colorado State (8 pts, 2 regulation wins, 1 overtime/SO win, 5 regulation losses)
5 – Arizona (7 pts, 1 regulation win, 1 overtime/SO win, 4 regulation losses, 2 overtime/SO losses)
6 – Colorado (6 pts, 1 regulation win, 1 overtime/SO win, 5 regulation losses, 1 overtime/SO loss)
TEAMS RESULTS – Here’s a brief rundown as to how each WCHL team has done in the Fall 2014 semester.
The University of Arizona (9-10-3 overall, 2-4-2 WCHL) has had a good start to the season under new Head Coach Chad Berman, with impressive road wins at Oklahoma, at Liberty and at Rutgers. However, the Wildcats have had trouble holding serve at home, losing to Colorado State, Colorado, Liberty, Minot State and arch-rival Arizona State. Dylan Carter leads the Wildcats in scoring with 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 total points. Following Carter in scoring on the ice for the Wildcats are Robert Wilkinson (9-4-13), Alex Nespor (8-5-13), Shane Gleason (4-9-13) and Will Pointon (2-11-13). Sophomore goaltender Garrett Patrick has been the main man in net for UofA with a 7-8 record, a goals against average of 3.41 and a .901 save percentage. UofA is right on the cusp of the Nationals berth at the semester break. The Wildcats will have plenty of chances to make a move in the rankings with big games against Central Oklahoma, Stony Brook, Arizona State and Oklahoma in the Spring semester.
Arizona State University (22-2-0 overall, 7-1-0 WCHL) are continuing their dominating roll as they look to defend their ACHA D1 National Championship. The Sun Devils have been Number One for most of the season but for a month-long stretch after losing to UCO which slipped ASU to the No. 2 spot. Nationals MVP Robert Levin returns in net for ASU and has a 19-2 record, 1.85 goals against average, and a .932 save percentage. ASU is led in scoring by Liam Norris (10-23-33), Ryan Belonger (14-15-29), Sean Murphy (10-19-29), Eric Rivard (14-11-25) and Tommy Cooney (11-14-25). The Sun Devils recently announced they will be moving to the NCAA D1 ranks next season. Nothing would be sweeter for the Sun Devils to repeat as National Champions in their last season of ACHA D1 play.
The University of Central Oklahoma (20-2-1 overall, 6-0-2 WCHL) has been on fire since the season started, racking up wins against Lindenwood, Arizona State, Iowa State, Minot State, Oklahoma and Arizona. The hot start found the Bronchos ranked Number One for four consecutive weeks, the first time UCO has ever baan ranked in the top spot. UCO goaltender Tory Caldwell has a record of 11-1, a 2.31 GAA and a .920 SV while backup Brett Patchett has a 9-1 record, a 2.04 GAA and a .926 SV. Gaven Hohl leads the Bronchos in scoring (17-19-36) followed by Brandon Formosa (13-20-33), Rylan Duley (14-16-30) and Sam Rice (15-14-29). UCO is a lock for Nationals and will be fighting ASU for the top spot in both the national rankings and WCHL standings throughout the Spring semester.
The University of Colorado (8-9-2 overall, 2-5-1 WCHL), under new Head Coach Jeff Neitenbach, is off to a nice start in their second season of ACHA D1 play. The Buffs have already notched nice wins against Arizona, Midland and archrival Colorado State and their rebuilding effort has resulted in CU being ranked in the ACHA Top 25 for much of the Fall semester. The Buffs are led in scoring by Jake Bauer (10-8-18), Matthew Hefter (1-12-13), Pierce Maty (7-5-12), Thomas Jarman (9-2-11), and Luc Neitenbach (4-7-11). Goaltender Alex Palumbo is between the pipes for CU most of the time and has a deceptive 7-7 record, a 2.72 GAA and a .903 SV. CU is also on the cusp of the Nationals field. With upcoming games against Arizona State, Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma and Arizona, the Buffs will have a chance to jump up in the standings to secure their spot in the post-season tournament.
Colorado State University (9-12-0 overall, 3-5-0 WCHL) has seen the pendulum of momentum swing wide for them in the Fall semester, for every huge win against Illinois, Arizona, UCO and archrival CU has seemingly been coupled with losses to ASU, OU, UCO, CU, Illinois and Minot State. Colorado State is led in scoring by William Neff (8-10-18), Connor Tamai (6-11-17) and Erik Waring (4-8-12). CSU goaltender Alex Steidler has logged the lion’s share of minutes in net for CSU with a 10-11 record, a 3.82 GAA and a .865 SV. Head Coach Eric Sunness has the Rams positioned to make a move for a Nationals bid as CSU is ranked No. 27. With a slew of games in the Spring semester ahead of them, including games against Mercyhurst, Niagara, ASU, UCO, OU and UofA, Colorado State will have every opportunity to control their Nationals fate.
The University of Oklahoma (15-5-2 overall, 4-2-2 WCHL) remains a perennial Top 10 team with wins against Lindenwood, Iowa State, Minot State and UCO. However, the Sooners have dropped valuable league points to Arizona, Arizona State and UCO. OU is led in scoring by Jordan Greenberg (12-23-35), Bryce Johnson (17-16-33), Senate Patton (11-10-21) and Taylor Herndon (8-13-21). Colin Fernandes has been the Sooners’ main goalie in the Fall, with a 11-4 record, a 2.58 GAA and a .894 SV. No doubt OU will be at Nationals for 12th consecutive year. However, a small roster, injury concerns and a brutal Spring schedule of games might mean the Sooners will be hard pressed to stay in the Top 12 and avoid having to play on the first day of the tournament.
RANKINGS – All six WCHL teams have found themselves in the ACHA D1 Top 25 computer ranking at one point or another during the Fall 2014 semester. Arizona State and Central Oklahoma have traded to the top spot all season long. Oklahoma and Arizona have also been mainstays in the rankings while Colorado and Colorado State have been in and out of the poll throughout the Fall semester. As we begin the Spring 2015 semester, here is the most recent ACHA D1 ranking:
|
2014-2015 ACHA Men's Division 1 Ranking #12 |
|||
|
Rank |
School Name |
Record |
Previous |
|
1 |
Arizona State |
22-2-0 |
1 |
|
2 |
Central Oklahoma |
20-2-1 |
2 |
|
3 |
Ohio |
19-3-2 |
3 |
|
4 |
Adrian |
20-1-1 |
5 |
|
5 |
Stony Brook |
17-3-0 |
4 |
|
6 |
Oklahoma |
15-5-2 |
6 |
|
7 |
Robert Morris (IL) |
19-3-1 |
8 |
|
8 |
Lindenwood |
10-8-2 |
7 |
|
9 |
Minot State |
19-7-1 |
9 |
|
10 |
Rhode Island |
19-3-2 |
10 |
|
11 |
Liberty |
13-6-4 |
11 |
|
12 |
Illinois |
15-7-1 |
12 |
|
13 |
Iowa State |
9-9-5 |
13 |
|
14 |
Niagara |
13-4-0 |
14 |
|
15 |
Delaware |
10-5-1 |
16 |
|
16 |
Davenport |
12-7-4 |
17 |
|
17 |
Buffalo |
16-4-0 |
15 |
|
18 |
Michigan-Dearborn |
14-10-3 |
19 |
|
19 |
Syracuse |
14-6-1 |
18 |
|
20 |
Arizona |
9-10-3 |
21 |
|
21 |
Robert Morris Pennsylvania |
15-2-2 |
20 |
|
22 |
Colorado |
8-9-2 |
22 |
|
23 |
Oakland |
12-11-1 |
23 |
|
24 |
Mercyhurst |
16-9-2 |
NR |
|
25 |
Lebanon Valley |
10-7-2 |
NR |
NATIONALS - The computer ranking will also determine the 20 teams that qualify for the 2015 ACHA D1 National Championship Tournament, which will include the following seven autobids:
(CHMA) College Hockey Mid-America
(ECHA) Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association
(ESCHL) Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
(GLCHL) Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
(NECHL) Northeast Collegiate Hockey League
(WCHL) Western Collegiate Hockey League
(HOST) JOHN CARROLL
The 2015 ACHA Men's Division 1 National Championships will be hosted March 5-10 by John Carroll University and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission at the OBM Arena in Strongsville, OH. This will be the fourth year of the 20-team format.
WCHL AND TEAM USA – The 2015 Winter World University Games will take place on Feb. 4-14, in Granada, Spain. Once again, the WCHL will have a strong presence on the Team USA roster with nine WCHL players on the 22 man Team USA roster. Six players from Arizona State University, Ryan Belonger, Chris Burkemper, Ed McGovern, Connor Schmidt, Jordan Young and Sean Murphy, are on the Team USA roster along with Mico Solorzano, Bryce Johnson and Jordan Greenberg from the University of Oklahoma.
WCHL ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND THE WEB– What’s the best way to get up-to-date, almost instantaneous info about the WCHL? Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WesternCHL . We update game results nightly, standings, game previews, viewing links, news from around the ACHA, all on our WCHL twitter feed. You’re missing out if you’re not following us. Just sayin’.
We’re also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WesternCHL and most of the info from the Twitter feed finds its way to the Facebook page, but no guarantees, ok? Of course, we’d love for you to also bookmark our snazzy WCHL website at www.westernchl.com since it has a slew of league information as well.
We might even have some exciting news in the not-too-distant future regarding the future of the WCHL so find us on your favorite social media platform to stay informed!
Thanks for reading this far down and thanks for your support of the Western Collegiate Hockey League!
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We hope to see you at a WCHL game in the next few months!
